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- Karolyn Cruz
Karolyn Cruz
"I was born in San Jose, Costa Rica in 1980. I grew up with my 5 sisters and parents. Although we had limited resources and many needs, our family was united and valued. From a young age, I enjoyed crafts and designing my own projects at school. My work stood out, and my classmates would ask me to make things for them and pay me. After my high-risk pregnancy, I embraced my skills and started developing numerous projects using recycled materials. I even taught workshops featuring my own designs.<BR><BR>
"Creating these products required me to study and gain knowledge about birds. The <I>Pajaritos de Aire</I> collection includes two product lines: Imaginary Birds and Species Observed in Costa Rica. Through the Crafts with Identity program, offered by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute and the Ministry of Culture and Youth's Strengthening Program for Cultural and Creative Entrepreneurships, I refined my skills in handling recycled material and created products with a local and national identity.<BR><BR>
"When people acquire my mobiles and keychains, I want them to know that my designs represent the unique birds of Costa Rica. I use plastic bottles as raw material and assemble the birds using threads extracted from the same bottles.<BR><BR>
"I am proactive, persistent, and empowered. With great effort and a strong desire for improvement, I have overcome obstacles and successfully achieved my goals. I appreciate the support I have received from various institutions and organizations. My aim is to continue growing as an artist that adds value and identity to waste materials, producing original and competitive crafts for the national and international markets.<BR><BR>
"I have received quite a few awards, including:<BR><BR>
"• FOMUJERES 2019 and FOMUJERES 2021 awards from the National Institute for Women<BR><BR>
"• Micro Entrepreneurship Award 2020, Green Commerce category<BR><BR>
"• Certification with the Costa Rica Crafts Seal in 2021, awarded by the Costa Rican Crafts Sector Commission for crafts with identity, quality, design, and environmental practices<BR><BR>
"• Recently, we received the award from the Costa Rica Forever Association and its Blue and Green Economy Program, Project Gente. This award allowed me to expand the workshop and acquire essential equipment to improve production. It recognizes the contribution to reducing negative impacts on ecosystems, society, and the territories where we are located."
